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Show Topic:
The four-day work week is not a new concept, but in the last year we have seen more and more companies who are “making it work.” Additionally, we are seeing states introduce legislation that incentivizes companies to switch to four-day work week, providing state tax credits to both public and private employers who make the switch.
At the federal level, in 2023, we have seen the proposal of a bill entitled the “Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act” which seeks to incentivize shorter workweeks by requiring overtime pay for time worked in excess of 32 hours per week.
In this episode of HR Power Hour, join co-host Tawny Alvarez in a dialogue with Biddeford Maine Mayor Alan Casavant concerning how the city of Biddeford, Maine, as a public employer, moved to a four-day work week and the tips he has for other organizations considering the same.
About The Guest:
Mayor Alan Casavant was reelected for his fifth term in November 2019. Mayor Casavant previously served 18 years on the City Council, including 4 terms as Council President. He taught Psychology, American Studies, Global Studies, and U.S. History at Biddeford High School until his retirement in 2011. Mayor Casavant served four terms in the Maine Legislature (2007-2014), serving as the Representative of Maine House District 137, which covered Biddeford and Kennebunkport. He was termed out.
As Mayor, Alan has worked to make downtown development and economic growth his priorities. The removal of the Maine Energy incinerator during his first term, has proven to be a catalyst to tremendous investment and changes in the downtown area. He is pleased and overwhelmed by the level of support he received from voters in Biddeford over the years, and promises to continue to restore confidence in city government, as well as work to develop Biddeford’s potential. “The Biddeford community is special, as it possesses so many natural assets, such as its beaches, parks, and the Saco River. Possessing good schools, magnificent downtown and mill architecture, a renowned university, and a remarkable hospital, Biddeford is well-suited to meet the needs of people in the 21st Century.”
The changes that have occurred in Biddeford over the past 6 years have been popularly called the “Biddesance”, as they reflect the dynamic emersion of the city from an old mill town into a vibrant, diverse, and emerging city of art, culture, dining, and industry.
“My objective, as Mayor, is a constant: to make the city the destination point that I knew as a child. York County is the fastest-growing county in Maine, and I see Biddeford and Saco as the drivers of the regional economy. I want to attract new residents, and shoppers and engage investors. I want the name of Biddeford to be synonymous with the cutting edge.”
“I hope that you can capture some of this creative energy. We are witnessing magnificent, unparalleled changes in our community. We are invigorated by a new pride in who we are as a people. We are enthusiastically looking towards possibilities in the hope of a better tomorrow. We are building a better community every day, by investing in our people, our infrastructure, and our businesses. Our focus is on the future and the lifestyles that it has to offer. We are no longer a mill town. We are a Renaissance city, and my intention remains to ride that wave into greater prosperity.”
